Chosen

This past weekend we went to visit my in-laws. I am incredibly lucky to have married into a fantastic family. Every time we visit with his family, my husband and his father really get into talking about God and the Bible. Normally my mother- in law and I are keen to listen and also give our opinions but with little David with us, it was a bit difficult for me.

On Saturday night we were in their living room and as they were talking away, I was just laying on my husband’s lap watching television, exhausted after a day of entertaining my little man. The Lion King was playing and I was at the very famous scene of Simba, Timon and Pumba laying on their backs staring at the stars and wondering what they are.

A couple of scenes later, Nala discovers Simba, the true king but he doesn’t want anything to do with it. We all know why, he was lied to by Scar telling him that it is his fault that King Mufasa, and Simba’s father, died. So ridden with guilt and shame, Simba fled. Nala left Pride rock to find help and found Simba and she is trying her best to convince him to come back and be the true king.

They have a fight and Simba runs away, again.

But this is where the story got my attention. Rafiki also discovers Simba. While Simba laments {again} of how his Father left him and feeling guilty {again} that he was the reason that his father died, Rafiki sits in a tree, so extremely excited to have found Simba. He doesn’t see the shame, the guilt or the absolute disaster Simba is, he sees the King.

He just can’t help himself to be so excited about finding him!

As the story unfolds, we see how Rafiki helps Simba to discover the true him again.

While watching this, I had the hugest smile on my face as God whispered in my heart: “Doesn’t matter what you look like, I have chosen you. I dance around you and celebrate you. I see the you I have created, I do not see the lies you believe, I see you.”

This warmed my heart because of two things:

God is not afraid of your mess. He is delighted when He looks upon you.

You were fearfully and wonderfully made.

This morning, while spending time with God, I read the following:

Ephesians 1:4-14 NKJV – 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth–in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Now, this gets me so excited!

We have been chosen by Him before the foundation of this world for His pleasure. Because of Jesus we have been redeemed from our sinful nature. We have been sealed with a promise of our inheritance, the Holy Spirit. Through the cross we have been made God’s property. His people. We have been given every Spiritual blessing in Christ, We have an inheritance.

Then Paul prays this prayer:

Ephesians 1:18-23 NKJV – 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

We have exceeding great power now in us when we believe in God…

Paul explains in Ephesians two that we do not get salvation through our own works, but by faith in the works of Christ!

And Paul ends this whole prayer in Ephesians 2:10:

Ephesians 2:8-10 NKJV – 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Today I want to encourage you, if you have a Simba mentality, that you are not good enough and your life is filled with Shame.

God doesn’t see that. This glorious God, who raised Jesus from the dead, sees a son in you. He sees someone powerful and majestic. He delights over you and with all his heart, He wants you to co-labour with Him.

To co labour with God in this Kingdom is so much fun. Because of what has been done at the Cross, we walk in freedom and victory and are called to share that victory with the world.

I want to encourage you to not look at yourself anymore, but look at God. Look at his delight over you and may that be your guidance and truth in this life.